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I lose, prevented by thy eyes put ont.

[but do

Sam. Boast not of what thou would'st have done,
What then thou would st, thou seest it in thy hand.
Hur. To combat with a blind man I disdain, 1106
And thou hast need much washing to be touch'd.
Sam. Such usage as your honourable lords
Afford me', assassinated and betray'd,

Who durst not with their whole united powers 1110
In fight withstand me single and unarm'd,
Nor in the house with chamber ambushes
Close-banded durst attack me, no not sleeping,
Till they had hired a woman with their gold
Breaking her marriage faith to circumvent me. 1115
Therefore, without feign'd shifts let be assign'd
Some narrow place inclosed, where sight may give
Or rather flight, no great advantage on me ; [thee,
Then put on all thy gorgeous arms, thy helmet
And brigandine of brass, thy broad habergeon, 1120
Vant-brass and greves, and gauntlet, add thy spear,
A weaver's beam, and seven-times folded shield,
I only with an oaken staff will meet thee,
And raise such outcries on thy clatter'd iron,
Which long shall not withhold me from thy head,
That in a little time, while breath remains thee, 1126
Thou oft shalt wish thyself at Gath to boast

Again in safety what thou would'st have done

Har. Thou durst not thus disparage glorious arms,

To Samson, but shalt never see Gath more.

Which greatest heroes have in battle worn,
Their ornament and safety, had not spells
And black inchantments, some magician's art,
Arm'd thee or charm'd thee strong, which thou from

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Heav'n

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Feign'dst at thy birth was given thee in thy hair,
Where strength can least abide, though all thy hairs
Were bristles ranged like those that ridge the back
Of chafed wild boars, or ruffled porcupines.
Sum. I know no spells, use no forbidden arts;
My trust is in the living God, who gave me

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1120. Brigandine, a coat of mail.-Habergeon, a covering of mail for the head and shoulders.-Vant-brass or brace, covering for the arms; greves, for the legs; gauntlet, an iron glove. 1138. Shakspeare. Hamlet, Act 1, Sc. 8.

At my nativity this strength, diffused

No less through all my sinews, joints and bones,

Than thine, while I preserved these locks unshorn,

The pledge of my unviolated vow.

For proof hereof, if Dagon be thy god,

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Go to his temple, invocate his aid

With solemnest devotion, spread before him
How highly it concerns his glory now

To frustrate and dissolve these magic spells,
Which I to be the power of Israel's God
Avow, and challenge Dagon to the test,
Offering to combat thee his champion bold,
With th' utmost of his godhead seconded:
Then thou shalt see, or rather to thy sorrow
Soon feel, whose God is strongest, thine or mine.
Har. Presume not on thy God, whate'er he be
Thee he regards not, owns not, hath cut off
Quite from his people, and deliver'd up
Into thy enemies' hand, permitted them

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To put out both thine eyes, and fetter'd send thee

Into the common prison, there to grind

Among the slaves and asses thy comrades,
As good for nothing else, no better service

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With those thy boist'rous locks, no worthy match
For valour to assail, nor by the sword
Of noble warrior, so to stain his honour,
But by the barber's razor best subdued.

Sam. All these indignities, for such they are
From thine, these evils I deserve and more,
Acknowledge them from God inflicted on me
Justly, yet despair not of his final pardon
Whose ear is ever open, and his eye
Gracious to re-admit the suppliant:
In confidence whereof I once again

Defy thee to the trial of mortal fight,

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By combat to decide whose God is God,

Thine or whom I with Israel's sons adore.

Har. Fair honour that thou dost thy God, intrusting He will accept thee to defend his cause,

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A murderer, a revolter, and a robber. [me these?
Sam. Tongue-doughty Giant, how dost thou prove
Har. Is not thy nation subject to our lords?
Their magistrates confess'd it, when they took thee

As a league-breaker and deliver'd bound
Into our hands: for hadst thou not committed
Notorious murder on those thirty men

At Ascalon, who never did thee harm,

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Then like a robber stripp'dst them of their robes? The Philistines, when thou hadst broke the league, Went up with armed pow'rs thee only seeking, 1190 To others did no violence, nor spoil.

Sam. Among the daughters of the Philistines

I chose a wife, which argued me no foe;

And in your city held my nuptial feast:
But your ill-meaning politician lords

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Under pretence of bridal friends and guests,
Appointed to await me thirty spies.

Whe threat'ning cruel death constrain'd the bride

To wring from me and tell to them my secret,

That solved the riddle which I had proposed.
When I perceived all set on enmity,

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To pay my underminers in their coin.

As on my enemies, wherever chanced,

I used hostility and took their spoil

My nation was subjected to your lords,

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It was the force of conquest; force with force

Is well ejected when the conquer'd can.
But I a private person, whom my country

As a league-breaker gave up bound, presumed
Single rebellion and did hostile acts.

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I was no private, but a person raised

With strength sufficient and command from Heav'n

To free my country; if their servile minds

Me their deliverer sent would not receive,

But to their masters gave me up for nought,

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Th' unworthier they; whence to this day they serve.

I was to do my part from Heav'n assign'd,
And had perform'd it, if my known offence
Had not disabled me, not all your force:

These shifts refuted, answer thy appellant,

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Though by his blindness maim'd for high attempts,

Who now defies thee thrice to single fight,

As a petty enterprize of small enforce.

Har. With thee a man condemn'd, a slave enroll'1,

Due by the law to capital punishment?

To fight with thee no man of arms will deign.

S

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Sam. Camest thou for this, vain boaster, to survey To descant on my strength, and give thy verdict? [me, Come nearer, part not hence so slight inform'd ; But take good heed my hand survey not thee. Har. O Baal-zebub! can my ears unused Hear these dishonours, and not render death? Sam. No man withholds thee, nothing from thy Fear 1 incurable; bring up thy van, My heels are fetter'd, but my fist is free.

[hand

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Har. This insolence other kind of answer fits. Sam. Go baffled coward, lest I run upon thee, Though in these chains, bulk without spirit vast, And with one buffet lay thy structure low, Or swing thee in the air, then dash thee down 1240 To th' hazard of thy brains and shatter'd sides.

Har. By Astaroth, ere long thou shalt lamert These braveries in irons loaden on thee.

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Chor. His Giantship is gone somewhat crest-fall'n, Stalking with less unconscionable strides, And lower looks, but in a sultry chafe. Sam. I dread him not, nor all his giant brood, Though fame divulge him father of five sons, All of gigantic size, Goliath chief.

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Chor. He will directly to the lords, I fear, And with malicious counsel stir them up Some way or other yet further to afflict thee. Sam. He must allege some cause, and offer'd fight Will not dare mention, lest a question rise Whether he durst accept th' offer or not,

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And that he durst not plain enough appear'd.

Much more affliction than already felt

They cannot well impose, nor I sustain ;

If they intend advantage of my labours,

The work of many hands, which earns my keeping With no small profit daily to my owners.

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But come what will, my deadliest foe will prove
My speediest friend, by death to rid me hence,
The worst that he can give, to me the best.
Yet so it may fall out, because their end
Is hate, not help to me, it may with mine
Draw their own ruin who attempt the deed.

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1231. Baalzebub, Astaroin, deities of the Philistines.
1248. 1 Sam. xii ball. XX. i. 15.

Chor. Oh how comely it is, and how reviving To the spirits of just men long oppress'd,

When God into the hands of thefr deliverer

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Puts invincible might

To quell the mighty of the earth, th' oppressor,

The brute and boist'rous force of violent men

Hardy and industrious to support

Tyrannic power, but raging to pursue

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The righteous and all such as honour truth;
He all their ammunition

And feats of war defeats

With plain heroic magnitude of mind

And celestial vigour arm'd ;

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Their armories and magazines contemns,
Renders them useless, while

With winged expedition

Swift as the lightning glance he executes
His errand on the wicked, who surprised
Lose their defence distracted and amazed.
But patience is more oft the exercise
Of saints, the trial of their fortitude,
Making them each his own deliverer,
And victor over all

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That Tyranny or Fortune can inflict.
Either of these is in thy lot,

Samson, with might endued

Above the sons of men; but sight bereaved

May chance to number thee with those

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Whom patience finally must crown.

This idol's day hath been to thee no day of rest,

Labouring thy mind

More than the working day thy hands.

And yet perhaps more trouble is behind,

For I descry this way

Some other tending, in his hand

A sceptre or quaint staff he bears,
Comes on amain, speed in his look.
By his habit I discern him now
A public officer, and now at hand.
His message will be short and voluble.

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Of. Hebrews, the pris'ner Samson here I seek. Chor. His manacles remark him, there he sits. Of. Samson, to thee our lords thus bid me say:

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